1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of stem cell development. More particularly, it concerns the induction of selected lineage differentiation from pluripotent stem cells.
2. Description of Related Art
Pluripotent stem cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) cells, are a potential source of cells for production of specific lineage of differentiated cells. Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells can be achieved either spontaneously or upon induction.
However, a number of obstacles have stood in the way of developing a paradigm for obtaining substantially enriched populations of specific lineage cells from pluripotent stem cells. Some ensue from the relative fragility of pluripotent cells of primate origin, the difficulty in culturing them, their exquisite sensitivity and dependence on various factors present in the culture environment, and low efficiency and wide variation of differentiation methods. Thus, there is a need to improve differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to specific lineage of cells, especially for large-scale or high efficiency production.